A strong incident response process can mean the difference between a contained event and a catastrophic breach—and in this episode, we break down the first half of the response lifecycle: preparation, detection, and analysis. Preparation involves building an incident response plan (IRP), assigning roles and responsibilities, and creating playbooks that guide teams when things go wrong. Detection is all about spotting anomalies through tools like SIEMs, IDS/IPS, endpoint logs, and user reports. Once an alert is received, the analysis phase begins, where analysts determine the nature, scope, and origin of the incident through log review, packet capture, and forensic tools. Accurate and timely analysis sets the stage for effective containment and eradication. The better your preparation, the faster your detection—and the more confident your analysis.